Water regulator



Jan. 9, 1934. F BADGE-rr 1,942,635

WATER REGULATOR Filed June 8, 1931 k if a 3 49 5ly -7 mmnlff i j 5j Z5 Y 4/ l 459 2 35 INVENTOR y 54 43 40 -3 BY I 54- /O ATTORNEY Patented dan. 9, 1934 feier REGULATR Fred Lee Eadgett, Chickasha, Ghia., assigner to Badgett Steam Lubricater Company, Chickasha, Okla., a corporation of @klahenia Application .lune 8, 1931. Serial No. 542,844

3 Claims.

My invention relates to fluid-pressure regulators, and more particularly to Water regulators for maintaining a constant water level in boilers, the present invention being particularly designed for use in connection with an automatic pump control for supplying water to a boiler.

The principal object oi my invention is to provide an apparatus of this character embodying a compound leverage control that is very sensitive, and that may be accurately adjusted to permit only a minimum amount of variation in the Water level.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device that is simple in design and eiective in operation and that includes means for reducing the eect of general weather conditions on the operation of the thermostat.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View or a boiler equipped with a Water regulator embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the regulator with portions thereof shown in central section to more clearly disclose the structure of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of the regulator.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

1 designates a boiler including the usual re box 2, a steam dome 3, and a boiler end 4.

The apparatus for regulating the water level of the boiler is generally designated 5 and includes a rectangular supporting plate 6 provided in slightly offset relation from its transverse center line with an opening '7 for slidably receiving a thermostat tube 8.

Surrounding the opening 7 is a plurality of openings 9 for bolts 10 adapted to be adjusted in relation to the supporting plate by nuts 11 and 12 threaded on the bolts and engaging opposite faces of the plate so that the inclination of a casing 13, presently to be described in relation to the boiler may be varied as required. The forward ends of the bolts snugly engage the outer surface of the casing 13 and are fixed thereto by welding, as indicated at 14, and the opposite end of the casing is externally threaded, as shown at 15, for engaging the internally threaded ends 16 of a reducer coupling 17 having an internally threaded intermediate web 18 for receiving the corresponding outer end of the thermostat 8.

Perforations 19 in the casing permit circulation of air around the thermostat and guides 20 in the form of tubular bosses are xed, as by welding, in selected openings 19 of the casing for maintaining the thermostat in concentric, sliding relation with the casing.

Provided Yin the supporting bar adjacent one end there i is a relatively large opening 21 for receiving the nipple 22 of a valve housing 28 threaded on the nipple, as shown at 24, and ha ving internally threaded upper and lower openings 2.5 for a purpose later to be described, the valve housing being secured to the bar by a clamping nut 26 threaded on the nipple and bearing against the bar.

A valve stern 27 extended concentrically through the nipple and maintained in' sealed sliding relation therewith by a gland 28 carries a valve 29 on its inner end adapted to cooperate with an annular valve seat 3() projecting inwardly from the valve housing.

A series ci openings 31 is pro-vided in the supporting bar adjacent its opposite end for selectively receiving a fulcrum rod 32 yieldingly and adjustably supported on the plate by a spring 33 and adjusting nuts 34 and 35, bearing washers .'15 being preferably mounted on the spring adjacent its opposite ends.

Threaded on the rear end of the iulcrum rod and Xed thereon by a loci; nut 37 is a bearing head 38 having a relatively long slot 39 for receiving one end of a lever arm 40 pivotally connected therewith by a cross pin 4i extended through transverse openings of the head and through one of a series of spaced openings 42 in the lever arm.

Similar bearing heads 43 and 44 are also provided for the thermostat and valve stem respectively, the head 43 terminating at its inner end in an enlarged portion 45 threaded internally, as at 46, for receiving the externally threaded free end 47 of the thermostat. The upper face of the head 43 adjacent the thermostat is provided with an opening 48 for receiving a steam supply line 49 leading from the steam dome or other reservoir supplied by the boiler and provided with a control valve 5G. The head 44 is threaded on the outer end of the valve stem 27 and is locked thereon in adjusted position by a jam nut 51.

Each of the heads 43 and 44 also include slots 52 complementary to the slot 39 oi the head 38, and transverse pins 53 are extended through aligning openings of the heads and lever arm for maintaining the parts in assembled condition, cotter pins 54 being provided in the lower ends of the pins.

Threaded into a counterbored forward end 55 of the coupling 17 is a conduit 56 leading to the front end of the boiler and connected therewith by a lateral pipe section 57, threaded into the boiler and including a valve 58, the section 57 being connected to the conduit 56 by a T-tting 59, one end of which is provided with a valve 60 to serve as a drain for the line.

Interposed in the line 57 is a union 61 and a drop, as indicated at 62 is provided in the line to serve as a trap for preventing hot water in the line adjacent the boiler from working through the cooler water in the line adjacent the thermostat. Because of the length of the line 56 and its small diameter this line embodies sufficient flexibility to permit adjustment of the casing 13 by the nuts 11 and 12 after installation of the casing and line on the boiler, it being apparent that the amount of adjustment desired in the inclination of the casing will always be relatively small.

Leading from a suitable source of water supply such as a water pump and connected into the upper opening 25 of the valve 23 is a line 63 communicating with a line 64 threaded into the lower opening of the valve housing and leading to the front end of the boiler slightly below and to the rear of the lateral section 57.

The line 64 is attached to the boiler in a manner similar to the line 56, including a valve 65, a T-tting 66 and a drain valve 67, a check valve 68 being provided in the line 64 to prevent return flow of water through the line.

Assuming a regulator to be constructed and mounted on a boiler, as described, the operation of the apparatus for automatically retaining the water at a constant level would be as follows:

Water from a suitable source of supply is fed through the lines 63 and 64 into the front end of the boiler when the valve 29 is in open position.

As soon, however, as sufficient water has been supplied to the boiler to raise the level above the normal Water line, water entering into the line 56 Will ll a greater portion or all of the thermostat tube 8. As a result, the cooled tube contracts and closes the valve 29 to prevent further supply of water to the boiler.

As the water in the boiler is converted into steam, the water level will fall accordingly. Consequently, steam will begin to enter and heat the thermostat tube and will gradually cause lengthening of the tube and consequent opening of the valve which will again permit more water to be added to the boiler.

In this manner the water level is automatically maintained at a constant uniform height and due to the compound leverage of the valve control a very sensitive action is obtained. This action may be adjusted by tensioning the spring, by inserting the fulcrum rod in one of the other openings 31 of the plate, or by changing the inclination of the thermostat casing. It will be apparent that, the provision for adjusting the inclination of the casing and thermostat by means of the adjusting nuts 1l and 12 is a distinct advantage in controlling the normal level of the water in the boiler.

The novel inter-relation of the members of the control unit including the casing, thermostat, tube, supporting plate, and lever arm, produces a rugged unit which has been found to be especially practical for service on boilers used in oil elds.

When used on neld equipment of this character it is desirable to perorate only the sides and bottom of the casing so that rain water cannot enter the casing and act as a cooling agent on the thermostat.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a water regulator for boilers, a supporting plate, an inclined casing having one end adjustably secured to said plate to vary the degree of inclination of the casing, a thermostat tube xed to the opposite end of the casing and having a free end extending through said plate, a conduit connecting the xed end of the tube with the boiler, a steam line communicating with the free end of said tube and boiler, a water supply line leading to the boiler, a valve interposed in said water line and supporting said plate, and a compound lever arm connected to the plate, to the free end of said tube and to the valve for operating the valve in response to expansion and contraction of the tube.

2. In a water regulator for boilers, a supporting plate, an inclined perforated casing having one end adjustably secured to said plate for varying said inclination, a thermostat tube in the casing having one end fixed to the casing and a free end extending through said plate, means for maintaining the tube in spaced, concentric, sliding relation with the casing, a conduit connecting the fixed end of the tube with the boiler, a steam line communicating with the free end of said tube and boiler, a water supply line leading to the boiler, a valve interposed in said Water line having a stem extending through said plate, and a compound lever arm yieldingly connected to the plate and pivotally connected to the free end of said tube and to the valve stem for operating the valve in response to expansion and contraction of the tube.

3. In a water regulator for boilers, a supporting plate, a casing having one end secured to the plate, a thermostat tube extending concentrically through and xed to the opposite end of the casing and having a free end extended through the plate, a conduit connecting the xed end of the tube with the boiler, a steam line communicating with the free end of the tube and boiler, a water supply line leading to the boiler, a valve interposed in said water line and fixed to the plate, and having a stem extended through the plate to one side of and parallel to said tube, a fulcrum rod adjustably anchored to the plate at the opposite side of the tube, and a lever arm fulcrumed on said rod and connecting the valve stem and tube for operating the valve in response to expansion and contraction of the tube.

FRED LEE BADGETT.

Cri

Cil 

